There is a big difference between contemplation and meditation, but often people get the two confused. In contemplation, one takes an object or principle, and one focuses upon it. Your concentration becomes immersed in the object of contemplation, until you become one with it. Images, trains of ideas and thoughts concerning what you are contemplating, come to your mind, revealing its true nature. Contemplation is a great tool for discovering truth.
It begins with Meditation. In Meditation you learn to ignore the flow of ideas, sounds and thoughts, while you are busy, merely being there. Focus your consciousness upon your consciousness, rather than upon the objects of your consciousness. In this stillness lies the power to overcome and to create. Contemplation also lends itself to spiritual dimensions, since the aim of contemplation is often directed at a universal divine essence common to all life. This places the idea of contemplation into close proximity with concentration. Concentration is a skill that is valued in education as a means to remain focused on comprehending what is being taught. The object of concentration here is to master the requisite information and demonstrate the level of mastery through techniques of evaluation. However, contemplation has a much more extensive meaning. Mindfulness, for example, is a form of contemplation that is focused on developing greater powers of attention and awareness in order to create a greater sense of stillness in thought. Contemplation may have a divine quest as the primary aim. The ancient contemplative traditions are practices designed to evolve the mind in order to attain unity with a divine essence.
Our choices determine our destiny. Contemplation on mandalas and yantras is a means of attuning the mind to the principles of the higher planes. Consider them as doorways, and your contemplation of them a Key, which allows you to enter.
When things get really complicated, then it is time to make them simple. If you are being pulled in many directions at once, then you need to be at your center. Having a strong center of calm is the Key to gaining control over your life. When you are in your center of calm, then all of the craziness of the world falls into perspective. Things that really aren't important lose their power to command your attention. The center of calm that you will develop from contemplation & meditation will enable you to concentrate your efforts on the things that do matter, and from this your life will sort itself out towards what you thought to be.
Harboring negative thoughts & feelings within yourself, will throw you out of balance. Holding false concepts about Life will cloud your vision.
People dwell so much upon negative things, that it will take all of the meditation and Spiritual Practices that you can do, to break the habit. Allowing the emotions to rule your life, will lead you to be irrational. Letting your intellect to dominate, will make you rigid. Neither of these is balance. Balance is a state of harmony that gives you a clear perspective on what is important in Life. The balance of which the Mystics speak has nothing to do with the mundane concepts of good and evil. It is the balance of ones Spiritual Life with ones physical life, and balancing the emotional life with the intellectual life. The balance is the attainment of harmony on all planes of your being.
While contemplating we are placing limits on our actions -- we are commanding our mind, body, and emotions to stay focused on the task we have assigned and not distract us. In a way, this control, though beneficial and necessary for our success at concentration, is the exact thing that we need to let go to attain Contemplation.
Contemplation requires a complete surrender -- a non-control by our finite ego/mind and a complete taking over by the infinite Cosmic Consciousness. To fly high, we cannot tie ourselves to the ground in any way. The more we let go, the more we soar and the moment we let go completely is the moment we attain the infinite.
Contemplation also allows us a chance to practice witnessing our life as it occurs. Witnessing, which can only happen here and now, will ultimately lead to the recognition of our Real Self, which is none other than the source of all consciousness, and thus, the ultimate Witness of all.
Water Meditation: Lakes, Ocean, Waterfalls, Rivers … Sit and follow the ripples, they will wash the tension from your mind. You can add another aspect to contemplation is Contemplating on the Horizon it will bring silence into your being; with silencing your own thoughts will bring you clarity.
Attentive listening is another form of contemplation. You can listen and contemplate on the trees, or rain.
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